Reducing Blood Draws in Pediatric Patients With Solid Organ Injury Through Protocolized Transcutaneous Hemoglobin Monitoring.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-11-2024

Publication Title

Journal of pediatric surgery

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Management of pediatric solid organ injuries continues to evolve, decreasing the need for serial hemoglobin measurements, repeat imaging, and operative intervention. Transcutaneous continuous hemoglobin monitoring (TCHM) has been shown to effectively monitor hemoglobin levels in children with solid organ trauma.

METHODS: A 6-year, single-center, retrospective chart review was conducted of pediatric solid organ injury patients aged 30 days tochildren's hospital following implementation of a highly protocolized TCHM system. A laboratory hemoglobin measurement was obtained at the time of diagnosis and additional measurements were determined based on injury grading. Adverse events were tracked and included: central or arterial line placement, blood product(s) administration, percutaneous embolization procedures, transfer to the pediatric ICU and operative intervention.

RESULTS: A total of 97 patients met the inclusion criteria. Blood draws were significantly reduced following TCHM protocol implementation (3.0 [IQR 2.0-5.5] vs 2.0 [IQR 1.0-4.5], p 0.01) without a significant increase in blood product administration (p = 0.30), central or arterial line placement (p = 1), or operative intervention (p = 0.29). Length of stay was not impacted (p = 0.36). The rate of unplanned ICU transfers and percutaneous embolization procedures were too low for statistical evaluation.

CONCLUSION: TCHM safely reduces the need for serial blood draws in pediatric trauma patients when utilized within a well-defined protocol for solid organ injury. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of TCHM in shortening or eliminating hospital admission for low-grade solid organ injuries in children.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

TYPE OF STUDY: Single-center, retrospective chart review cohort study.

First Page

161917

DOI

10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.161917

ISSN

1531-5037

PubMed ID

39358073

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